Propulsion Engineer I - Hardware and Bus Systems

Varda Space•El Segundo, CA

18d•Onsite

About The Position

Varda is hiring a hands-on Propulsion Engineer I to own propulsion subsystem work and hardware across its spacecraft fleet. The engineer will help maintain system architecture, generate analysis products, size components, develop propulsion software tools, review data, design hardware, and support subsystem testing and operations for vehicles on the ground and in orbit. The role involves owning assigned hardware, subsystems, and work products within a fast-moving interdisciplinary engineering team, while building technical breadth in propulsion system design, production, and operations.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related discipline; equivalent professional experience is considered.
Hands-on propulsion or fluid systems design, build, and/or test experience for spacecraft or launch vehicles; internship, coursework, or project experience qualifies.
Working knowledge of flight fluid system hardware, including pressurized components, tubing, fittings, seals, valves, and instrumentation.
Ability to read P&IDs.
Proficiency with CAD tools such as NX, SolidWorks, CATIA, or equivalent, and PLM software.
Experience authoring or executing operational procedures for ground test or flight campaigns.
Demonstrated ability to take ownership of assigned technical tasks and drive them to resolution.
U.S. person status as defined in the posting is required for access to export-controlled items.

Nice To Haves

Ability to author P&IDs.
At least one year of spacecraft or launch vehicle propulsion experience, including familiarity with satellite bus-level monopropellant, bipropellant, or cold gas architectures; graduate coursework is included.
Experience building Python, MATLAB, or other scripts or spreadsheet tools to automate recurring propulsion analysis or data review workflows.
Exposure to structural analysis using ANSYS, NASTRAN, or equivalent FEA tools applied to propulsion or fluid system hardware.
Familiarity with technical drawing review and GD&T per ASME Y14.5 standards.
Exposure to high-pressure fluid systems and spacecraft-grade propellants, including cryogenic, hypergolic, or high-test peroxide systems, and awareness of cleanliness, handling, and safety requirements.
Test, launch site, or in-flight operational experience on spacecraft or launch vehicles.
Familiarity with 1D fluid modeling and analysis tools such as GFSSP, REFPROP, or similar.
Strong technical communication skills, including clarity and precision in work instructions, engineering specifications, and engineering memos.

Responsibilities

Support and maintain the spacecraft propulsion system technical baseline, including P&IDs and system-level documentation.
Design, analyze, and test satellite bus propulsion flight hardware and components.
Help execute propulsion system block upgrades on operational vehicles, including schematic and hardware changes, to improve reliability and launch cadence.
Support requirements definition for future vehicles and contribute to project plans, roadmaps, and milestones.
Generate propulsion performance analyses and document requirements such as propellant budgets, pressure ladders, fluid component sizing, and structural and thermal limits; provide inputs to GNC, Mission Operations, Thermal, and other partner teams.
Build Python scripts and spreadsheet tools to automate recurring analysis and test data review workflows.
Perform detailed mechanical design of propulsion hardware and fluid system components, and structural analysis using ANSYS, NASTRAN, or equivalent FEA tools.
Author and review design documentation, engineering specifications, build/integration/test procedures, and engineering memos.
Support in-flight propulsion operations, including on-console support under senior engineer oversight.
Disposition hardware nonconformances, support anomaly investigations, and contribute to corrective actions.